The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-03-31
LITTLE DANDY.
A Southern story Of LIE in the vicksbure
Trenches.

Little Dandy" the boys called him.
He Joined our company in Vicksburg
just before the siege, and none of US
felt enough interest in him to make any
inquiries. His extreme youth Che WAS
about 10y would have excited our SYM
pathy under other circumstances, but
the war-worn veterans in the trenches
had no use for the curled darlings Of
the parlOr, and Little Dandy's appear
ance was against him. The lad wore
the gray uniform of a private. but it
was of the very finest material-finer
than anything worn by our Generals.
His buttons had all unsoldierly glitter.
He sported white handkerchiefs. carried
a pocket-mirror, and every morning he
combed and curled his golden locks un-
til they looked like girls tresses.
Hello. Little Dandy" yelled the sol
dicrs. whenever the young fellow pass
ed them To this rough salutatiop he
always responded with bow and Il
smile, but his soft ways did not win
favor When we met in town We pass
ed him by without notice. and in camp
we let him alone. Little Dandy was
proud after n fashion-too proud to no.
tice the sights heaped upon him. He
went through the routine duties with
out complaint. but nothing could induce
him to abandon his pocket mirror and
his fancy toilets.
The siege was well under way and
we were no better acquainted with Lit
tie Dandy than at first. He shared our
meals of mOldy corn bread and mule
meat without n muTmur, and it must
be admitted that this raised him some
what in our estimation. But we still
had to learn what "a true heart beat be-
hind those glittering buttons. An an
gle Of the enemy's works was danger
Ously close to our intrenchments and
we had to keep our heads well shelter
ed. When we raised hat on the muz-
zle of musket it was invariably rid
died with bullets. One morning we
found our men being picked of by an
unseen sharpshooter at the rate Of five
or six an hour. This astonished us, be-
cause we were all keeping under cover.
and the men who were killed all occu-
pied we'll protected positions.
Where was the sharpshooterP This
was the question upper1nost in every
mind. We were not long in satisfying
ourselves on this point. just outside
of the angle of the Federal works stood
a giant oak. whose leafy top afforded
an admirable covert for an active ride
man. A vigilant scrutiny convinced
US that the man who was doing such
deadly work in our ranks was conceal
ed in this tree. To reach it he must
have made his way there during the
night, and he would have to remain
there all day. But we could not stand
it even one day. His aim was so un.
erring that every time his rife cracked
a Confederate bit the dust. We tried a
rafting discharge of musketry, but a
moment later the report of the rife
rang out, and another of our comrades
fell.
twas evident that, from our position
1t was almost impossible to hit the Fed
eral rifeman. If we succeeded IL
bringing him down it would be by SONS
lucky random shot. Possibly IA mar
outside the works would be able tC
draw a bead on our wary foeman, but
he would be under the guns of the enc
my and there would be a thousand
chances against him.
ssI'll kill him or de- cried a shril
voice.
.-Good God! it's Little Dandy" shout
ed q dozen men.
At the risk of our lives We peepeG
over our breastworks. Little Dandy
had already made his way TO the opeI
space between the works and was edg.
ing around on the right of the tree
The Federals saw what he was up u
and fired broadside. When the smok.
cleared away and they saw the DO
with a flushed face and streaming hal
aiming his gun at the top of the old Oa
| there was a tremendous cheer 1t roll
ed along both lines-the hoarse FEEDERS
shout min0ling with the wild ..Rebt
yell
Bang! A mau in blue came tumE
ling and crashing through the branche
| of the tree and struck the earth with
| dull thud. IT was the sharpshootei
| Another cheer rent the air. but thi
| time it was from the Confederates alone
| A sheet of fame blazed along the Fec
| eral works, but when the smoke LITE
| are saw Little Dandy coming full tilt i
our direction with smile on his face.
| Three cheers for Little Dandy
ieaped from hundreds of throats as th
boy vaulted over the breastworks, an
we rushed down upon him to hug hin
in our. frenzy of admiration and 10!
But Little Dandy sunk down upon
heap of loose dirt. and then we saw ii
crimson stains upon his breast
Il kept my promise, he pantet
And then. as our Colonel took his hanC
the little chap looked up into his faC
and said:
I'm afraid I've made poor soldie
Sometimes I've bothered you / knoV
Please remember that / was not vel
strong, and-and / did the best that
could
His head fell over. Poor Little Dai
dy was deadi-AEzntG Consultation.